Finding punter becomes tall order

Although each casts a long shadow, it looks like Brandon Fields has eclipsed Ryan Flinn in Dolphins training camp.

They stand 6 feet 5, but they aren't quarterbacks or wide receivers.

They are part of a growing trend in the NFL: tall punters.

And by the looks of things, the Dolphins could be scaling down to one tall punter with the first roster cut on Tuesday.

Flinn signed with the Dolphins as a free agent in part because he had worked with assistant special teams coach Steve Hoffman with Dallas in 2004, but he could be regretting the decision. Fields has had 14 opportunities to punt in the first two exhibition games, and Flinn hasn't had one.

"What competition?" Flinn asked at camp Thursday. "I get asked from the players. 'I see you by yourself all the time and Hoffman's over with Fields,' and I'm, you know, that's the pick I guess."

Fields was drafted out of Michigan State in the seventh round and weighs in at 236 pounds. Flinn, a gangly 2003 Central Florida grad with two NFL games under his belt, is generously estimated at 220 pounds.

Special teams coordinator Keith Armstrong says in the AFC East, the height is a plus.

"You want big punters for the division that we're in," Armstrong said. "When you go to New England and you're going to New York, you want to be able to have some guys with some size and some strength that can handle the wind."

More teams are signing larger punters, some figuring that fundamentals and technique can be taught, but power can't. Pro Bowl pick Josh Bidwell of the Arizona Cardinals is 6-3 and 220 pounds, and former Dolphin Matt Turk, whose 13 years in the NFL leads all active punters, is 6-5, 240 pounds.

Fields said he constantly practices the fundamentals but does recognize a natural advantage from his size.

"I don't have to try as hard to hit it," he said. "I can hit it a little easier and still get good hang time and good distance on it without sacrificing form."

During training camp, Fields has made punts of 60 or more yards and has even approached 70. He once hit a 73-yarder in a college game.

Regardless of who gets the job, the punter will also hold snaps for kicker Jay Feely. Flinn said his long arms help him corral wild snaps while holding. Unless something changes drastically in tonight's exhibition game against Tampa Bay, it looks like Flinn won't get the chance to do that for the Dolphins.

"I certainly played against Kevin before, but he is definitely missed in our locker room and in our meeting room," Holliday said of the ex-Florida Gator Carter, who signed a lucrative, free-agent contract with the Bucs after a two-year stint with the Dolphins.

"It'll be fun to see him. Maybe he'll play air guitar for us on the other sidelines." . . .

The Dolphins confirmed that defensive end Jason Taylor, linebacker Zach Thomas and nose tackle Keith Traylor will start tonight with the first-team defense. Cameron rested the veteran trio in the first two exhibition games as a precautionary measure.

Staff Writer Harvey Fialkov contributed to this report. Perry Gattegno can be reached at pgattegno@sun-sentinel.com.